Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Dreams and Shadows

C. Robert Cargill
2013
978-0062190-423

The back of the book touted it as a 'modern American tale' and promised faerie, which was enough for me to give it a go.  Definitely not a book for children, it had far more myth, violence and complexity than I was expecting - in short, it was the story I didn't know I'd been looking for.

Beginning with two boys: Ewan, stolen from his parents and promised a future as a fairy, and Colby, who meets a genie and starts on an adventure.  Neither has any idea just how important they are to each other, in spite of the warning signs.

By the time these two are grown, the world is a far less exciting place than it had been when they were children - but that's about to change, and sometimes excitement is the last thing you want.

I really struggled with the first hundred pages or so.  It was a bit frustrating, not really knowing what was happening or why, but the moment Book Two began, when the boys are grown, everything clicked into place and I couldn't put this down.

This is no rose-tinted tale of magic and beauty, this is balls-out terror and violence, and it's brilliant.  Everything is brought together both painfully and seamlessly, the way it needs to be, leaving you with the feeling you've been well and truly educated about the ways of the world.


This is exactly the kind of book you finish and immediately want to start again, because this time you know just a little more about why.


The ending surprised me, although it shouldn't have, and I found myself sympathising with Gossamer about the fact he'd never get home again.  This book managed to strip away any expectations I had, and replaced them with a sort of fascinated dread.

Finished 22/10/14
Rated 4.5 / 5